I had a conversation with a girl the other day and we started talking about Gucci. She had just bought herself the most beautiful shirt from Rokit and red cropped jacket with all it’s stylised navy, preppy piping. She was elated and said she felt like she had bought a reasonable homage. My question to her was why not just buy the real thing?

She looked perplexed as she replied that she just couldn’t afford it?

When deciding what I can afford, I have always had the mindset that nothing was unattainable. This is not just about clothing but about anything and everything. I then told her, that what you give value to, is that which is unattainable? If you give something less value, you will not be willing to spend much on that unattainable object, thus seeking it out at a much more affordable price. Understanding when something is a trend lead item, often forces me to give the item less gravity and therefore seek it out at a much lower price.

In a world where fashion changes all the time, trends come and go. What’s fashionable today becomes passe tomorrow? If you realise this notion of constant cycles, then buying and selling your things to upgrade or downgrade becomes a way of life. Therefor, if you want a Gucci bag, you might be fortunate enough to buy one from a reputable pre-loved site for less that £100?

I explained that based on this notion, the best thing to invest money in were accessories, as you can mix them with any look. My go-to has always been sunglasses and once I find a pair that suits my face, my face will never change. Therefore, my sunglasses will always suit me. Scarfs are another one. If you buy a scarf, you can wear that scarf for life, as long as you don’t loose it!

These are the tricks of the wealthy and stop the endless cycle of consuming.

My favourite accessories are sunglasses. A passion I picked up from my mother, who gave me 2 pairs of Laura Biagiotti sunglasses that she had tired of. I always saw her buying different styles and she would go to Harrods and pick up a selection of outright boujee frames.

As time passed I have become somewhat a collector, shipping styles from all over the world. But my favourite and most worn pair came from a Seflridges sale. A lilac pair of Prada Butterflies for £45 in 2010. I think they must be my most worn item and when considering cost per wear, i’m probably down to a few pence.

As the girl walked away I uttered these words and she finally got it. “Just remember that Gucci is sometimes cheaper than Zara.” She smiles and then said “i’m going to keep a look out now”.

Save money for the things that have value, your health, good food and experiences. A good accessory should never set you back, as it’s just the icing on your cake.

Main Image; Sunglasses Sibling London SS2017 £230, white top Zara £19.99